This is probably going to be a bit of a controversial take, but the way people in the Sleep Token fandom demand the band constantly give them stuff is shitty entitled behavior and unacceptable. Its been 1 year. One (1). Since they released Even in Arcadia, and it's been 7 months since they ended their month long tour. Before that they dropped an album in 2023 (TMBTE) and toured for a while after that. I dont care how long they actually toured, because any amount of time touring, constantly traveling, and playing almost every night would be exhausting.
2 years between albums is lowkey insane, especially with touring between.
I understand we live in a fast paced world, where people have everything at their fingertips when they demande it, and that the tik tok ification of the internet makes people demand that instant gratification and shortens attention spans. But you guys need to back the fuck off. Dont act like the swifties who demand she constantly give them everything and it causes a decline in the quality of her art.
People who complain we're in a sleep token drought and that they need the band to do something need to fucking stop. You have four albums, three instrumental album, and 3 EPs. That's more than enough. Or are you that quick to toss things to the side and stop reflecting and savouring and enjoying what you have already been so blessed to be given.
Clearly you need to be reminded YOURE NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING FROM ANYONE. I know people are very very quick to forget, but theyre all real people too, and they experience the same emotions and burn out that you might. Hell Vessel literally sang "I know these words are boring, I know I should be touring, but I can't always be killing the game." He straight up told everyone to be patient.
Making music is HARD. It's a job and also an art, and art takes time. Touring in a band is a job. I know people don't see it as such, but it is. Except imagine you're stuck working for even just one month straight. You are locked in the place you work in, and you're constantly doing something for your job with very few breaks. Now think of how exhausting that would be, and not to mention doing it away from home. I dont know what country these people live in, NOR IS IT MY BUSINESS. But no matter what kind of tour you're doing youre still going to be away from home a while.
And not to mention the sheer EMOTIONAL toll of everything. The weight of the planning, the schedule, the budget, the crew, the fans, and the art itself. I imagine it cant be pleasant to spend so much time immersing yourself in an art that is meant to dig deep and stick its fingers into some emotional wounds. Have you ever cried before? You feel absolutely exhausted after, right? Vessel cries almost every performance, sometimes during multiple songs. I wouldn't be surprised if he lays down in bed and passes tf out after. I know I'd be exhausted.
I think you all need to consider putting yourself in their shoes and contemplate what it might feel like to do such an intense job and go "yeah, they deserve a break" especially with all the backlash they receive. Maybe the backlash bothers them and maybe it doesnt, but take into consideration that its gotta wear you down. Constant negativity even from a small minority would wear anyone down after a while.
And then theres the process of actually making music. You have to be inspired. You have to write the songs, you have to make sure it works and sounds the way you want. Then you've gotta record and produce it and work out all the kinks and get things exactly how you want. Then you gotta work out how you're going to get it out there. And amongst all this youre dping merch drops, approving or declining designs and working with your company to do drops and do xyz amount of this product, but spread that out across 4 different stores. Then theyve gotta create puzzles for you to interact with and get the excitement going, and i dont even wanna think about what all goes into the puzzle planninbg process. After seeing Thornhill defend these guys and theyre time and the amount of work that goes into everything they do? Wtf is wrong with you??
Not only demanding artists rush their art because youre bored and want them to actually do something. Be it tour or release music? I'd be downright embarrassed by the entitled behavior. I think we need to start putting this into perspective with any artist actually and let them work on their art instead of complaining they havent done anything in 7 months.
I'm not in the music business, but I do play music, and I am a human being who gets tired and understands a very very base level of what goes into music. I am also a very very big fan of sleep token, but also I dont mind waiting one bit. Look at what happened to Tobias Forge? The man worked nonstop for 15 years straight and now he's gotta take an indefinite break. The body is not meant to take that kind of grind. You'll burn out fast and then there won't be anything.
I just really think that collectively as a fandom, we need to stop constantly asking them to do something and take time to reflect on and appreciate what we have been given already. Nothing lasts forever, and when sleep token is gone someday then you'll really regret spending all your time begging for more rather than living in the moment and appreciating what you've been given while you had it.
Please please please stop demanding people do things when theyve not done anything in the public eye for half a year. Please. Enjoy what you've got while you have it and appreciate the hardwork that goes into it and instead say "thank you so much for all this hardwork you're putting into this band, but don't forget to take time for yourself and take care of yourself as well so you can continue to work on the projects you want to do!"
